High volume hose has always presented maintenance and care concerns regardless of the application in which it is used. Unlike hose used by the residential homeowner, high volume hose such as that used by fire departments, mining companies, air carriers, and in farming irrigation operations tends to comprise a heavy work piece of considerable dimension. The length and weight of the hose necessitate extended effort in laying and charging the hose as well as in recovery and care of the hose after use.
Additionally, the applications in which this type of hose is used often result in extended exposure to dirt, soot, cinders, ash, degrading solvents and the like. The environmental conditions in which a hose is used may also result in exposure to flame and high temperature, truck traffic over the hoses, and other pressures and stresses not encountered by conventional garden hose. As a result, hose cleaning must be undertaken to both maintain the structural integrity of the hose and to ensure that a prior application has not compromised the hose. Operator safety is often dependent on careful inspection and recognition of structural inadequacies in hose.
In the case of fire hose, each length comprises a substantial capital investment by a fire department. Moreover, substantial energy is invested, usually through the manual labor of fire department personnel, in washing, rinsing, and drying hose. Generally, fire hose is washed by laying the hose flat on the floor of the department garage. Water is then applied and the hose is then manually scrubbed with a brush and soap. As each fire truck may carry thousands of feet of hose, manual washing can take hours. Moreover, once the hose has been washed it is generally hung in a drying tower or the like prior to repacking on the fire truck.
To save the investment of time and energy in the care and maintenance of hose a number of devices have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,531,059 to T. J. Walker discloses a fire hose loader, cleaner and drier contained within a mobile apparatus such as a panel truck. U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,175 to Hillis discloses a portable fire hose cleaning apparatus adapted to be connected to a conventional fire hydrant. In operation, the hose is manually manipulated between the brushes and the members in order to adequately wet and clean its outer surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,781 to Wahlstrom et al discloses a hose cleaning plant which comprises a hose magazine, washing equipment, and a hose transport device which in operation pulls the hose through washing equipment over the extended length of the hose cleaning plant. U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,672 to Santos et al discloses a compact fire hose washer generally comprising means for wetting the hose, introducing soap onto the surface of the hose, scrubbing the hose, and rinsing the hose.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,097 to Hamann discloses a hose washer which may be used for large volume hose such as fire hose or agricultural irrigation hose comprising a washer inside a guide chamber which passes the washed hose onto a spindle. In operation, hose passes through the guide chamber comprising an outer housing and inner perforate shell. Once in the guide chamber, the hose is contacted with a water flow injected into the outer housing of the guide chamber and directed onto the hose by the inner perforated shell.
Essentials of Firefighting, Copyright June, 1983, International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA) disclose methods and devices for washing and drying fire hose. Specifically, in FIGS. 10.3 and 10.4 shown on page 220, there are two fire hose washing apparatuses shown. The first fire hose washer, FIG. 10.3, uses the flow of water into a cylindrical pipe to wash fire hose up to 3 inches in diameter. Optionally, the water pressure in the device can be used to facilitate the movement of hose through the pipe. Another type of hose washing apparatus is shown in FIG. 10.4 using a series of brushes and rollers to effectively wet, scrub, and drain fire hose.
However, a large problem with industrial hose is that the hose is exposed to elements which do not lend themselves to cleaning with the manual application of soap, water, and brush. For example, hose which generally has a cloth outer wrap, is often exposed to dirt and other contaminants which cannot be removed by the previously mentioned practices and devices. Additionally, hose washing machines previously available do not readily accommodate the high volume of hose soiled, or the severe level of sediment and residue, often resulting from various applications, such as fire scenes, without extended physical labor. Accordingly, a need exists for an industrial hose washing apparatus capable of cleaning hose which has been exposed to severe environmental conditions and soiled as a result of that exposure.